Jose a



(No Model.)

J. A. VILLAVIGENGIO.

APPARATUS FOR HULLING COFFEE, RICE, &c. No. 309,112.

Patented Dec. 9, 1884.

Unirnn stares.-

Parnn'r tries.

JOSFJ A. VILLAVIGENOIO, OF CARAOAS, VENEZUELA.

APPARATUS FOR HULLING COFFEE, RICE, 3L0.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 309,112, dated December9, 1884:.

Application filed September 25, 1884.

To [bZ/Z' whom, it 77140 concern:

Be it known that I, J osi i A. Vrrmnvmnnoro, of Caracas, in the Republicof Venezuela, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Apparatusfor Hulling Coffee, Rice, Corn, and other Grains, of which the followingis a specification.

My invention relates to that class of apparatus for hulling coffee,rice, and other grain in which the grain is subjected to the combinedaction of aqueous vapor or steam and attrition or rubbing.

My invention consists in novel combinations of parts, hereinafterdescribed, and pointed out in the claims, whereby the eoifee, rice, orother grain may be subjected to a vigorous rubbing action after or whilebeing moistened with aqueous vapor or steam.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical transverse sectionof an apparatus embodying myinvention. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinalsection thereof. Fig. 3 is a transverse section of the cylindricalcasing alone, and on the plane of the dotted line w m, Fig. 2; and Figs.4 and 5 are sectional views, similar to Figs. 1 and 2, and illustratinga modification of my invention.

Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts in all thefigures.

Referring first to Figs. 1, 2, and 3, A designatcs a cylinder orcylindric easing, which may be composed of sheet or plate metal, and ofany suitable size. The cylinder or casing is supported in any suitablemanner in a horizontal or nearly horizontal position upon a stationaryframe, which may be of wood or metal, and of any suitable construction.As here shown, the frame consists of end pieces or standards, B, andlongitudinal rods or stretchers B, connecting them, and the ends of thecylinder are furnished with knees or brackets a, which rest upon saidend pieces or standards, and so support the cylinder. In this example ofthe invention the cylinder A is composed of two semi-cylindric sections,each of which comprises semicircular portions of the heads, and thesesections are secured together by bolts I), inserted through ears orlugs, with which they are provided. The pur pose of this constructionwill be explained hereinafter.

trolled.

(No model.) Patented in Venezuela August2U,1S84,No. 1, Issue No. :11.

Through the cylinder A extends a concentric shaft, C, which is supportedand capable of rotation in bearings c on the end frames, B, and uponthis shaft is a pulley, d, whereby it may be rotated by a driving-belt.The shaft may be turned by a hand-crank, if desired.

Upon the shaft G, at intervals in its length, are wheels C, which are oflight construction,

and are slightly smaller than the internal diameter of the cylinder A,so that they will rotate therein freely with the shaft. These wheels 0consist of hubs 0, whereby they are secured on the shaft, spokes c, andrims 6 all of which are of light construction, and may be of wrought orcast metal.

Between the wheels 0 are skeleton frames or wheel-like partitions A* inthe cylinder A, which are non-rotary. As here shown, each frame orskeleton partition A consists of a hub or center, f, which is largeenough to receive the shaft O through it, spokes or radial arms 1'', anda rim, which is secured in fixed position to the interior of thecylinder.

In order to enable the shaft 0 and its wheels Oto be placed in position,the wheel-like skele ton partitions or frames A* are divided or composedeach of two semicircular sections or portions secured in. the twosections of which the cylinder is formed. The line of division isthrough the hubs or centers f, as shown best in Fig. 3, and the upperhalves of the several wheel-like frames A* are secured in one half ofthe cylinder, while the otherhalves thereof are secured in the otherhalf of the cylinder. The upper half of the cylinder, with its containedhalves of the several wheellike frames, is removed. The shaft and wheels0 C are then laid in the lower half of the cylinder, and the upper halfof the cylinder is then placed in position and secured by its belt I).The shaft and wheels 0 O constitute a rotary reel or stirrer.

At the top of the cylinder A is a feedinghopper, D, which is of largecapacity, and is provided with a sliding gate or door, 9, whereby itscommunication with the cylinder is 0011- At the bottom the cylinder ispro- 'vided with a hinged door or cover, E, which, as shown, extends thefull length of the cylinder.

The cylinder A is provided with an inletpipe, h, controlled by a valve,h, and through this aqueous vapor or steam may be introduced into thecylinder.

In the operation of my machine the coffee, rice, corn, or other grain isfirst placed in the hopper D, and the stirrer or reel being rotated, thesliding door or gate g is opened, and the contents of the hopper areallowed to pass into the cylinder. Steam is admitted through the pipe71, and serves to soften or render moist the grain, and the rotary reelor stirrer, acting in conjunction with the fixed wheel-like frames A*,produces friction or attrition between the particles of grain, and thehulls are thereby separated or removed.

When the operation has been continued for a sufficienttime, the door orcover E is opened, and the entire contents of the cylinder dis charged,after which the grain is passed through a winnowing machine or separatorto separate the hulls from the solid grain.

The spokes or arms 6 of the wheels and the arms f of the fixedwheel-like frames A* may be either straight, as here shown, or curvedlike the arms of a pulley.

In the modification of my invention shown in Figs. 4 and 5 the cylinderA is shown as undivided, and is supported by k nees or brackets a on theend pieces or standards, 13, of a frame, which also compriseslongitudinal rods or stretchers B. This cylinder A is provided with afeeding-hopper, 1), and sliding gate or door g, and at the bottom of thecylinder is a door or cover, E, which controls the deliveryontlet of thecylinder.

Concentric within the cylinder is a shaft, 0,, which is supported inbearings or boxes 0, and on which is avdriving-pulley, d. This shaft.

carries a number of wheels, 0, severally composed of a hub, c, spokes,or arms 6, and a rim, 6 as before described, and these wheels areconnected by numerous rods or small bars, 1 which pass through the rimsof the several 1 1. In an apparatus for hulling coffee, rice,

corn, and other grain, the combination, with a cylindric casing orshe1],of a rotary reel or stirrer arranged therein, consisting 'of ashaft and a number of separate wheels or skeleton frames, each composedof a hub, spokes, or arms, and a rim, and securedon said shaftatintervals in its length, and a pipe for introducing aqueous vapor orsteam to moisten or soften the hulls, substantially as herein described.

2. In an apparatus for hulling coffee, rice, corn, and other grain, thecombination, with a cylindrie casing or shell, of a reel or stirrerconsisting of a rotary shaft and a number of separate wheels or skeletonframes, each composed of a hub, arms, and a rim, and securedupon theshaft at intervals in its length, and wheel-like frames fixed in thecasing or shell between the said wheels and in planes transverse to theaxis of the cylinder and shaft, sulr stantially as herein described.

3a The combination, with divided cylindric casing or shell A and thedivided wheel-like frame A*, secured therein, of the rotary shaft 0,having wheels or skeleton frames 0, secured upon it between the saidfixed frames, substantially as herein described.

J OSE A. VILLAVIGENCIO. \Vitnesses:

O. HALL, FRED. Haynes.

